


Do It For Love

by Challenger2011



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Military Backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 09:55:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21336337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Challenger2011/pseuds/Challenger2011
Summary: He’d never considered joining the Military. Film School students typically didn’t really align with the ideals of the military lifestyle. What the hell though, only 5 years?He owed $37,000 at the age of 17, what choice did he have?An Alternate Universe that explains how Link paid for College when Rhett was forced into Engineering that takes place present day.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal, Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Do It For Love

**Author's Note:**

> Another go at Canid Athletics because I felt I had gotten ahead of myself.

AU

_ Long before the start of the Afghanistan war in 2001, the Military came up with a new type of idea for soldiers to combat the new guerilla type of warfare called Canids. Only a select few could become Canid Soldiers. With the addition of nanotech the selected Soldiers were made stronger and faster and added some canine tendencies. One side effect of the higher metabolism and energy levels being an increased level of aggression, making it a requirement that all “enhanced” soldiers be assigned a Handler._

_The Handler was lightly enhanced to match their assigned Canid and were selected based on ‘bonding’ by the Canid during training. Rarely did the Canid candidate bond with someone outside of the program though it was not unheard of. On graduation, the Canid team was fitted for the full mech suits to protect them and were posted to a Unit on the waiting list._

_Advanced biomechanical suits in the shape of a Canine modeled on the original dog teams made the Canid Soldier run on all fours, completely enclosed in a powered suit that made them strong, incredibly fast and very dangerous. The body was protected completely inside the suit, the arms lengthened to make them run evenly and the head of the dog completely separate from the human head for protection._

_After many of the other countries pulled out of the fighting, the company that came up with the idea, needing money, released a civilian version of the Canid suit for recreational use. The increased interest as more Canid Soldiers were seen in public drove the popularity of the mech suits through the roof._

_Though without the nanotech adaptations, which were deemed too dangerous to release to the public, the suits were a major hit. Armoured versions for cops and firefighters appeared, and an Athletic Association for the public popped up. It became popular to “Dog Race” again, now with humans as the dogs._

_The recreational suits were common to see in public. Acting and appearing more as an exoskeleton, the limbs of the User were visible, though still adjusted proportionally, and the lining was simple padding. The suit used the User’s own joints and head for the mechanics ex: the helmet having an articulated jaw that allowed the head to appear canine but allow speech and eating/drinking._

_Canid Athletics became huge as a workout fad. It became so common for people to wear the suit that parks had to be designated Canid Friendly or Pets Only. Military Canid's were still rare and generally feared by the public._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Link’s body burned.

Groaning, he rolled onto his side and tried to focus his blurry eyes on his surroundings. The medical center of the Base swam into focus around him. This was day 2 of his being here. He could hear the others of his platoon in the beds around him, moaning out their pain into the quiet room. He wasn’t alone.

But only 6 had made it through. 

Only 6 had the procedure take and the change come upon them. The rest had been sent back to the shacks to rest, their fever broken, leaving only fatigue in its wake. 

His body spasm’d again, guts twisting like it was trying to turn inside out. His hand fisted in the sheets, legs coming up to his chest in a fetal position. He could already feel the looseness in his joints, his flexibility far past what it had been just a few days ago. The IV port in the crook of his left arm burned white hot, the muscles under it aching. 

He regretted doing this. 

He didn’t want to be here anymore, but it was far too late for that.

Just a month ago he was normal. Graduating high school with his best friend and getting ready to go to film school in the fall. The wide world of college awaited them. This Rhett’s dad had dropped the bomb on them that he wouldn’t pay for Film School, that it wasn’t a “real” degree and that he needed to get a degree in something useful. He’d suggested Engineering.

And Rhett being Rhett, didn’t argue with him too much. 

Link had been blindsided. Rhett knew his family situation didn’t he? His mom was single, his father ran out on them and she worked late every day to make ends meet. She didn’t have the money to send him to NC State for engineering. She didn’t even have the money to send him to Film School, but Link had been proactive and applied for every type of financial help he could qualify for.

He’d received the help, the bursaries, the scholarships. He’d spent some of the money upgrading his camera and paying the school in advance for the tuition. He couldn’t go without Rhett though. They’d promised.

Link had come to realize though that Rhett really didn’t know what this decision meant for him. The money had all been clawed back except for the non-refundable tuition. He owed thousands now, and bill collectors called every day.

Then Rhett had abandoned him, going away for the summer as a last minute change and leaving Link to flounder and drown on his own.

Link’s lip curled.

Slovakia of all places. What the hell was he even doing over there? 

Rhett hadn’t called once since he left. Link had waited, had needed to talk to his friend. Since the whirlwind trip happened within days of the end of school Link had been blindsided. He didn’t know what to do.

An ad in the window of the Recruit Center in Raleigh had caught his attention. He’d been at a job interview for McDonalds’ of all places. Well beggars that owe thousands can’t be choosers right?

__

_‘Become a Canid Soldier on a 5 year contract and get an enlistment bonus of $50,000’ _

His eyes had nearly bugged out of his head. The poster had showed a soldier with a large black dog next to him. 

A military K9 cop he figured. 

_‘I can do that.’_

That was more money than he had ever heard of someone getting for joining the military. Not even Carson had got that much when he bragged at school about how he had joined the Marines and was shipping out the day after graduation.

He’d never considered joining the Military. Film School students typically didn’t really align with the ideals of the military lifestyle. What the hell though, only 5 years? 

He owed $37,000 at the age of 17, what choice did he have?

Link remembered the way he had tripped over the door lintel as he’d gone inside, the uniformed man behind the desk staring at him and the young men sitting in the chairs stifling their laughter. He could still feel the burn in his face from how hard he had blushed, echoed in the fever ravaging his body now.

He’d stammered through the explanation of why he was there, the man working the desk looking more and more excited. Handing Link a clipboard and a stack of papers with the cryptic comment, “You look a little tall for a Canid candidate but they’ll sort that out in Basic training.”

Somehow that day he had showed up just before they were running the aptitude test and he’d been able to be added to the roster. He’d passed the level required to be a Canid, though the test confused him with its seemingly random questions, and had been ushered in for a medical. The file he had been given was growing thicker by the hour.

The other boys there had given him sideways looks when they saw that his folder was red instead of the regular manila they all had. Looking back Link realizes that they must have known what the color meant, though he had thought nothing of it at the time. 

Canid Soldier.

He’d got his choice. They explained that he would be shipping out at the end of the week, the trade needed people desperately and the next group of 30 still had spaces available. Link had jumped on the chance. They’d explained that he wouldn’t get the enlistment bonus unless he passed the required training and the sooner he left, the sooner he could begin. The timeline he had been given put his Basic training as finished before Rhett even came back. He was promised that he wold be posted to the area he was from so he would see Rhett before he left.

This was his only option.

Link curled tighter around the soaked pillow, shivers wracking his body as the fever climbed again and he succumbed to unconsciousness.

***********************************************************

A week later and Link was finally leaving the Infirmary.

“Private Neal.”

The stern voice startled Link as he closed the door behind him. His Sargent was behind him, regarding him with slightly wary eyes. Link could feel himself shrink under the gaze.

He knew he wasn’t in the best of shape. He had dropped almost 15 lbs while in the infirmary and the issued PT strip hung loosely off his nearly gaunt frame. He hadn’t seen a mirror yet, but he was sure he looked like the walking dead, though he felt fine now.

Turning quickly, he came to attention and met the Sargent’s eyes.

“How are you feeling boy?” The man’s eyes scanned Link quickly, lingering oddly on his face before the gaze shifted just to the side a bit.

“Uh, I’m ok now Sargent.” He got a stiff nod in reply before the man turned away.

“Go to your room and clean up, you have the rest of the day. Tomorrow you will meet the platoon in the common room of your barracks, understood?”

“Yes sir!”

Outside the streetlights were just starting to come on, the daylight fading to dark purples and pinks on the horizon. The air was warm though and Link raised his head to take a deep breath before starting off towards his room, nose wrinkling. Had the air here always smelled so bitter? It smelled like a convoy of diesel trucks had done laps in front of the Infirmary.

Shrugging he started the walk towards the barrack block a few streets over. The streets were busy, people getting off work and heading back to their rooms or to the chow hall. Most of them he didn’t recognize so it was almost natural for Link to keep his eyes focused off in the distance more than to actually look at the people, but slowly he started to notice that people were staring at him as he walked by. The guy passing to his left on the sidewalk actually flinched when Link’s eyes met and held his own. ‘The hell-?’

Link glanced down at himself quickly. Nothing seemed amiss with him. Clothes were fine, just loose. Maybe he really, really looked bad? Suddenly nervous, Link stared at the ground in front of him as he broke into a jog towards the barracks and a mirror. He seemed to reach his room in record time, flying up the stairs two at a time to the 5th floor and sprinting down the empty hall at the top. His door came up so fast he actually skidded across the floor in an effort to stop before he slammed into the solid wood barrier.

Fumbling with the lock he got in and closed the door behind him. Leaning against it with a sigh, he let his head fall back to rest against the wood. The darkness inside was comforting, the only light from an orange streak across the ceiling from the streetlight below coming through the open curtains but it appeared to light the room up so much that Link didn’t need a light to see. Pushing away from the door, Link made his way towards the bedside table where his lamp sat. On the wall just to the left of the door, was a full length mirror and Link glanced at it as he walked by.

And nearly had a heart attack.

Whipping back around towards the mirror he leaned in close, hands coming up to grip the frame so hard he could distantly feel the wood splintering in his hands. Adrenaline was pounding through him so hard he could feel his heartbeat pounding in his jaw as he met his own eyes in the glass.

The orange light from the ceiling was reflecting off his eyes showing a bright blue disc covering his iris and pupils. Like a dogs’ eyes. His hands tightened, a crack spidering across the glass at the edge of his vision. Turning his head back and forth slowly, he watched as the disc appeared to slide around a bit as the new reflective layers in his eyes caught the light at different angles.

His hand flew to his face without thinking and the sudden blinding pain of his finger poking himself in the eye made him double over with a loud yelp. Hand to his face, Link stayed bent over, panting heavily as he stared at the floor unable to look himself in the eyes again.

_What had he done?_


End file.
